Draft-gear.



J. J. KANANB.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.18, 1912.

Patented 1360.9, 1913.

LGAWQ.

O Z1? o OQO DNFFE @TATS FATFNF FQ.

JOHN J. KANANE, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 BUFFALO DRAFT GEAR COMPANY, INC., OF BUFFALO, NEW YGRK.

DRAFT-GEAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatcnteolDec. 9, i913,

Application filed ctober 18, 1912. Serial No. 726,429.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. KANANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buf falo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Draft-Gears, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draft gears for railway cars which are interposed between the coupler and the car underframe and which serve to cushion and protect the cars against the severe shocks to which they are frequently subjected.

Draft gears for railway cars are generally located at the ends of the cars and therefore must be placed between the floors of the cars and the car trucks. Draft gears as commonly constructed are secured at their opposite sides to the draft sills or beams of the car and are only accessible from underneath the car and. consequently, if for any reason it becomes necessary to repair or remove the draft gear, the car body mustl be raised off of the truck in order to afford access to the draft gear. This generally necessitates the unloading of the car, and use of suitable devices for raising the car, and requires considerable time and labor.

The objects of this invention are to produce a draft gear of simple and compact construction which is so secured to the center sill of the car that the parts thereof are accessible and can be readily removed from the car body without requiring the body to be raised off of the truck; also to provide a strong and reliable draft gear composed of few parts, which can be easily assembled or taken apart by unskilled laborers; also to improve devices of this kind in the respects hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a draft gear embodying the invention showing the same attached to the car. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof on line 2.2. Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation thereof on line 4 4, Fig. 1.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the several figures.

A. represents the usual center sill or beam of the car underframe and B t-he transom, which is rigidly secured t-o the center sill and extends transversely of the car. These parts may be of any usual or suitable construction.

The draft gear comprises a casing or housing C, which may be either formed integral with the center sill or which may be a separate part, as shown, rigidly secured to -the center sill or other part of the car underframe in any suitable manner, and at one side of this casing is arranged a movable member or drawbar D.

E represents a car coupler of any suitable construction, the head of which may be formed integral with the drawbar or secured thereto in any suitable manner.

' The drawbar D has a limited endwise and lateralV movement relative to the casing C and for this purpose any suitable means may be employed. ln the construction shown, the drawbar is provided with integral lateral projections or lugs F, which are adapted to enter into transverse recesses or slots G formed in the adjacent side of the casing C. These recesses are of greater width than the projections F. to permit the endwise movement of the drawbar, and the side walls of these recesses form stops for limiting this endwise movement in both directions. The casing is provided at opposite sides of these recesses Gr with pockets f/ adapt-ed to contain springs or resistance devices g (/2 which bear against the opposite faces of the projections F and yieldingly oppose the movement of the drawbar lengthwise of the car.

To hold the drawbar in place at the side of the casing and permit the limited lateral movement thereof, the following construction is employed: Bolts H' are provided which extend through holes in the casing C and through slots h in the drawbar which extend lengthwise thereof and thereby permit the drawbar to move lengthwise of the car. rfhe bolts H extend beyond the outer face of the drawbar and springs I are interposed between the heads of these bolts and the drawbar D. These springs yieldingly hold thedrawbar in place against the side. of the casing C but permit it to rock onthe face of the casing.

In the operation of the device the springs g g2 resist the mo-vement of the drawbar in buffmg and drawing, and if the pull on the drawbar is for any reason not in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of .the ldraft-gear or `the center sill of the car, for instance when the car is coupled to a train running around a curve, the springs I vpermit the drawbar to accommodate itself,

4to this pull and thus prevent the drawbar from being subjected to severe laterali strains. l

"The draft gear consists of relatively fewI parts and each of the parts thereof is of simple and strong construction, so that the' device l'has great strength and durability. If for any reason it is desired to gain access to the interior of the casing C, it is only necessary to remove the bolts I-I, whereupon the drawbar can be removed sidewise from the casing. This can'be easily and quickly done without disturbing the body ofthe car. This effects a. great saving in the costof repairing devices of this kind, and the construction is so simple that ordinary unskilled labor can be used for removing, re-

pairing and replacing these devices.

I claim as my invention:

1. ,In a draft gear, the combination of a fixed member on the car, a drawbar arranged at one side of said member and adapted to move endwise relatively thereto, yielding resisting means arranged between said fixed member and said drawbar oper- ;ating in the line of movement of said drawbar for resisting the endwise movements of said drawbar, and separate yielding means for, securing said drawbar to said fixed niember, substantially as set forth.

2. In a draft gear, the combination of a 4fixed member on vthe car, a drawbar which 'is rigid throughout its vlength and is ar- .ranged atone side of said member and horizontally movable endwise and transversely relative thereto, means for yieldingly rfcsisting endwise movement thereof which are arranged between said fixed member and said drawbarand operate in the line of movement of said drawbar, and spring pressed means 'for securing said drawbar to v,said fixed member, substantially at set forth.

3. In a draft gear, the combination of a fixed member on they car, a 'drawbar arranged at one side of said member and movable endwise relatively thereto, yielding connections between said drawbar and said member which operate lin theline of movement of said drawbar to resist the endwise movements thereof relatively to said fixed member, and separate spring pressed means for securing said drawbar to said fixed member but permitting a rocking movement of said drawbar relatively to said fixed member, substantially as set forth.

4. In a draft gear, the combination'of a fixed member on the car, a drawbar arranged at one side of said member and movable endwise and transversely relative thereto, yielding connections between said drawbar and said member to permit'limited endwise movement of said drawbar relative to said member, springs arranged on the outer side of said drawbar, and -bolts lpassing loosely through openings in said drawbarV and said member and engaging saidisprings, said springs and bolts securing said-drawbar to said member but permitting a rocking movement of said drawbar relative lto said fixed member, substantially as set forth.

5. In a draft gear, the combination of a casing, a drawbar arranged atone side of said vcasing and movable endwise relative thereto, said drawbar having a part which projects into said casing, yand resistance'devices located in said casing and engaging said projecting part of the drawbar to yielding-ly oppose the endwise movement thereof, and means `for permitting the :lateral Ahorizontal movement of said drawbar, substantially as set forth.

z6. In a draftgear,=the combination of `a fixed member onthe car, a drawbarmeinber arranged at one side of said fixed member 'and movable endwise relative thereto, one

of said members having a part which projects into said other member, resistance'devices ilocated in said votherimember and engaging said projecting part to yieldingly oppose the endwise movement thereof, and means which yieldingly hold said drawbar member against the side of said fixed member-and permit the drawbar member to move laterally away from the fixed member, substantially as set forth.

'7. In a draft gear, the combination vof a casing having a recess yin one side thereof, a drawbar located at the same side ofthe casing and having a part projecting into said recess, and springs located in said vrecess in said casing which are adapted to engage the projecting part of said drawbar to oppose the movements ofthe drawbar in either direction, and means yieldingly connecting said drawbar to said casing and which permit the drawbar-to move'laterally vaway from said casing, substantially as set forth.

8. 'In a draft gear, the'combination of a casing lhaving a recess in vone side thereof and pockets at opposite sides of the recess, a drawbar located at the same side of the against the side of the casing, substantially 10 as set forth.

Witness my hand, this 4th day of October,

JOHN J. KANANE.

Witnesses:

F. E. PRooHNoW, ADELINE L. MCGEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

